Organisational Solidarity in Switzerland Across Fields: Interlinkage Between Immigration and (Un)employment

Abstract

This chapter is devoted to an in-depth analysis of qualitative interviews about practices of solidarity in Switzerland among the fields of (un)employment and immigration. The chapter shows how institutional arrangements (policy frameworks) shape organisational solidarity within and across these two fields. The history of immigration in Switzerland goes hand in hand with the development of labour policies. This entrenchment is reflected in the activities held by the transnational solidarity organisations (TSOs) and the type of beneficiaries they support. The current research assesses TSOs’ solidarity practices while focusing on their networks of cooperation. Findings reveal that although “immigrants” and “workers” are not mutually exclusive groups, there is an implicit boundary between (un)employment and immigration associations. This translates into an organisational gap where people in situations of multiple sources of vulnerability lack full organisational support (e.g., precarious immigrant workers).